Agronomist at Solidarites International

Mission / Objectives

Goal / Purpose:

• Through its SI 2023 - 2025 strategy, SI Nigeria plans to grow and deepen the programming portfolio of its Food Security and Livelihoods (FSL) activities.
• The Agronomist Officer shall play a vital role towards this objective. The Agronomist Officer is also expected to devise innovative solutions to address the complex food security and nutrition challenges in Zamfara, where the ‘’no IDP camp policy’’ has consigned over 200,000 IDPs in informal settlements, collapsing buildings and congested host dwellings, exposing children and women to dire protection conditions. The food and nutrition need for NW remain dire, with the area classified under IPC 3 and IPC4 and trends continuing to worsen.
• The Agronomist Officer shall be based in Gusau with frequent visits to other field locations such as Gusau and Talata Mafara, reporting to the HP / Nutrition Team Leader based in Gusau.
• They will work in harmony with the other officers (Hygiene Promotion Officers, Nutrition Officers, and FSL officers).
• The core roles of this position include providing guidance training to farmers to promote sustainable and profitable agriculture, conducting research, and developing strategies on soil management, seed selection, cultivation techniques as well as nutrition values.

Main Tasks

Community Mobilization, Seeds Distribution:

• Under the responsibility of the Nutrition/HP team leader, takes part in planning, beneficiary targeting, logistical and administrative organization, execution of vegetable seeds distributions.
• Implement distribution using Solidarités International tools and in collaboration with stakeholders:
  • Take part in the census and registration of beneficiaries.
  • Implement vegetable seeds distribution.
  • Recruit and train daily workers
  • Delegate daily worker site tasks according to the Team Leader's instructions
  • Supervise distribution activities.
• Ensure that each registered, identified beneficiary has benefited from the vegetable seeds distribution.
• After distribution has taken place, compile and confirm the number of households which benefited, and the quantity of goods distributed.
• Mobilize and replace materials used during vegetable seeds distribution.

Project Activity Implementation:

• Plan activities (quarterly, monthly, weekly) and identify the appropriate means and resources to ensure a smooth implementation, in collaboration with the support of various Departments (administrative, logistics) and the local partner
• Conduct community assessments to identify the best micro-gardening techniques and practices suited to local conditions.
• Adhere to relevant quality criteria and monitoring indicators for project activities, and ensure the regular tracking of these indicators, applying SI standard tools for project progress follow-up;
• Be the operational focal person for the local partner with regard to Agric activities.
• Coordinate with vendors on timing of vegetable seeds, tools delivery and mobilize beneficiaries for distribution in the field.

Implementation Monitoring:

• Ensure proper follow-up of the beneficiaries and provision of adequate technical support during activity implementation.
• Prepare and submit weekly and monthly activity plans to the Nutrition / HP Team Leader as required.
• Participate in periodic agricultural assessments including needs assessment, market assessments, activity feasibility assessments and any other Food Security and livelihood-related assessments.
• Support MEAL team in activities monitoring (market assessments, baseline, endline, post distribution monitoring, price monitoring, focused group discussions etc)
• Support complaint response mechanism by receiving, recording, and reporting complaints from beneficiaries, community leaders, community volunteers and other stakeholders.
• Conduct a vegetable farm follow-up in collaboration with the Agricultural extension officers after bi- weekly during the nursery development and monthly after planting of seeds.
• Organize regular evaluation meetings with team members and local partners
• Archive distribution cards / censuses and lists of beneficiaries. Keep monitoring tools and files archived at the Solidarités International office, ensuring their availability to his/her team leader.

Mobilization, Sensitization and capacity building:

• Mobilize and sensitize key stakeholders, communities and participating households on the project objectives, timelines and other general project details.
• Ensure that the beneficiaries of the vegetable seeds/tools receive the proper training on how to use the seeds/tools received.
• Ensure the training of the daily worker.
• Collect feedback and propose improvement of the messages of good practices shared with the beneficiaries.
• Participate in identifying the training needs among the population and propose appropriate contents and training support material for the training sessions and awareness messages to be disseminated.
• Plan and sensitize beneficiaries on use of vegetable seeds/tools, their rights, and benefits.
• Collaborate with the local government Agricultural extension officers and conduct training on nutrition-sensitive agriculture prior to the distribution and vegetable farm follow-up.
• Develop and implement training programs to build the capacity of farmers and extension workers.

Reporting / communication / representation:

• Under the supervision of the Nutrition / HP Team Leader, participate in the drafting of vegetable seeds distribution reports:
  • Pass on any information regarding the vegetable seeds/tools distribution process
  • Extract and pass on distribution statistics to the team leader or and/or program manager
• Take part in seminars and training workshops relating to distribution tasks and goal attainment.
• Report to the team leader on the progress of activities and specific tasks assigned, problems encountered and the quality of relations with beneficiaries.
• Pass on any information or problems concerning his/her task, Solidarités International programs, or safety aspects.
• Act as a liaison with the local population and authorities in order to identify the needs, grievances and major events that could have potential consequences for Solidarités International activity.
• Analyze the humanitarian situation, taking protection problems into consideration / Do no Harm to the population.
• Collaborate with local administration and authorities.
• Take part in restitution meetings and clusters on request.

Job Profile

• Qualification: B.Sc. / HND or equivalent in Agriculture, Agricultural Economics, Animal Husbandry, Agronomy and Soil science, Forestry, or any related field. Nutritional background is also an asset for this position.
• Professional Experience: 2 years practical experience in a similar position with other INGO or 3-4 years’ experience in National NGO in the same position or as a Team leader. Knowledge of Climate Smart Agriculture and knowledge of protection and inclusion is a plus.
• Languages: English, Hausa, and other Local Languages
• IT: Good Knowledge of MS Office Word, PowerPoint, and advanced MS Office Excel knowledge
• Quick learner, ability to work autonomously, excellent organizational skills, flexibility to meet deadlines, hard worker.
• Qualified females are strongly encouraged to apply.